Improvement in fire-proof safes



n. FITZGERALD.

FIRE-PROOF SAFE.

Patented Feb. 29, 1876.v

TD-LITMOGRAPHER, WAsmNmDN. D C

UNITED STATES DANIEL FITZGERALD,

PATENT Orrron.

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT lN FIRE-PROOF SAFES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 174,129, dated February 29, 1876; application filed August 28, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DANIEL FITZGERALD, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Protection of Safes and Valuables; and the following is a description thereof.

Fire-proof safes are constructed on the principle of resisting or repelling the heat by means of moisture emitted at the time of the fire from a filling provided for the purpose in the wall of the safe. Such fireproof safes have hitherto consisted of a large receptacle or chamber for valuables, with the fireproofing material arranged around it in a layer or stratum, and when exposed to excessive and long-continued heat, and even by the lapse of time, are liable to be dried out, the filling or tireprooting losing its capacity to act. The necessary result is, that in an entensive conflagration they must be consumed with their contents.

The object of my invention is to afford a greater security for valuables than is obtained in such safes, by insuring against the filling being dried out in the severest fires. I therefore reverse theprevious order of construction, and use a large bod yof fireproofing material, in

combination with a small cavity or aperture,

to receive the articles to be preserved. Such aperture is made in the form of a separate receptacle, connected with and fed by the large body of fireproofing; or there may be two or more large bodies or masses, the one made to communicate with and feed the other.

teferring to the annexed drawing, Figure 1 represents, in partial section, a portion of a building having my improvements introduced therein; and Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of one of the masses or bodies of filling in bulk, taken through the line at 3 of Fig. 1.

A represents a large body of fireproofing material, such as plaster-of-paris, alum, and clay, or other substance or substances capable of giving otf moisture when attacked by heat. Said material is deposited within a room or inclosure having metal walls 0. Immediately over, or otherwise arranged to communicate with, such depository is a like body of fireproofing, A, in an inclosure, B. The latter has an opening, D, in the center, and communicates with the mass A beneath. It also has small cavities 1 2, for the reception of valuables, accessible through the doors 3 4. The mass or body of material A is represented in Fig. 2 as intersected by the line of a partition, 0, to fit it for the use of parties in different apartments.

The body of fire-proof may itself be protected by solid masonry of brick, and by an interposed stratum of the fire-proof material I between the masonry and the metal wall B or O. This applies to A or A.

F is a safe receiver and protector, being essentially a recess 01' incasement, having nozzles or openings G communicating with the opening D. Such receiver is intended to take in a safe, as H, adapted thereto by having openings to receive the nozzles G. It also has a large body of fire-proof material massed in its back or other suitable place.

The safe-receiver F is adapted to admit of the removal of the safe of one tenant, and the insertion of that ofanother. The masses A and A I also make portable, when desired.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with one or more incased tire-proof mass or masses, A A, with steam or moisture passage D, the open-front safe-holder F, for receiving a removable safe, with an orifice communicating with the steam and moisture passage D, and with openings and nozzles G G, to convey the steam or moisture into the safe held by it, all substantially as set forth.

2. An interposed stratum of fire-proof material between the walls of brick or masonry and the wall 0 of the room which contains the main body of material, whereby moisture is produced by heat between the two, and heat is repelled, as is herein set forth.

DANIEL FITZGERALD. Witnesses:

EARLE H. SMITH, GHARLEs HALSTED. 

